If you’re reading this, you’ve probably heard the term EDC… but what exactly does it mean? Well, to put it succinctly, it stands for Every Day Carry. EDC refers to the tools you carry on your person. EDC is a practice of being prepared for whatever life throws at you. However, if you dig in a little deeper you might find that there’s no universal agreement as to what EDC encompasses.
Every (Literally) Day Carry Purists
The most hardcore of gear enthusiasts will insist that it’s not EDC unless you carry it literally every day. You’ll find this sentiment in the comments of the EDC subreddit, r/EDC, of any post with tools that don’t show wear. While it’s true this is probably the original expression of EDC, and probably still the most common among the population overall, most enthusiasts vary their carry at least occasionally.
Two Mainstays (& gifts from my wife): Spyderco Ouroboros & Roadie
Everyday Carry Enthusiasts
Those who are enthusiastic enough about their carry to post online typically change their tools, making it more “everyday” carry than “EVERY” day carry. Some might change their carry randomly, some might rotate through a regular stall of choices, and most probably lie somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum. This approach to EDC makes for a more engaging experience, though it might not allow you to get the most out of each piece of gear and can lead to excessive consumerism.
A full “Tiffany Blue” themed carry: Chris Reeve Sebenza 31 with Twice Born Customs bead, Twice Born Customs worry coin, Zero Feud C.U.P. pouch, Sean Yaw Barlow, Sage Grouse Leather slip, Gear Infusion EverRatchet Clip
(Almost) Every Day Carry Dabblers
Then there are those who don’t carry every day, let alone the same things every day, but still enjoy good tools. People who want to have a good knife for camping, or a flashlight to keep in their car for emergencies, or a good pen for journalling at home, and such. They might not carry their tools every day or everywhere, but they appreciate having them and discussing them. At least in my approximation, this is as valid an approach as the others.
Some great gear I carry, but not every day: Tactile Turn Standard Slim Bolt Action Titanium, NGMCo Middle Man Slick Not Thirsty Block Logo, Field Notes Vintage Edition
Essentially, EDC is about the appreciation, carry, and use of personal preparedness gear. You can make it their own, not only through the tools you carry but also how you carry them. No matter your job, lifestyle, or any other circumstances there’s always a way you can make Every Day Carry a part of your life. So, what is EDC to you?
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If you’ve ever looked into every day carry flashlights, you might have heard of the Emisar D4V2. It is the flashlight enthusiast’s benchmark for what a flashlight should be; bright, customizable UI, and small enough to carry. That said, many people (myself included) prefer an even smaller light than the 18650 size that the D4V2 offers. So it was with great fanfare that the flashlight forums welcomed the news of the AA based D3AA. Although it took me a while, I decided to pick one up and, now that I’ve carried and used it for a few months, will give you my thoughts on this powerful little light.
D1V2, D3AA, D4V2
Why the Hype?
The D3AA has a lot going for it. It boasts 3 LEDs, with many options for the specific emitter type. It has the Anduril 2 user interface that allows for EXTENSIVE customization. It has RGB auxiliary LEDs for extra flare. It has an upgraded driver that allows for better output and runtime. Maybe most notably, at least for me, it can use Lithium Ion, NiMH rechargeable, and normal Alkaline AA sized batteries. It can even use some 14500 Lithium Ion batteries with onboard charging. It also comes in several aluminum colors as well as titanium, which is one of the main reasons I picked one up; I wanted a flashlight in titanium (to match my other EDC gear), that could use the batteries I have on hand, while still being reasonably sized to carry and relatively bright. So the D3AA should be the ticket, right?
The D3AA with some easier to carry (but less impressive in specs) alternatives
Where Does it Go Wrong?
The Emisar D3AA is so close… but, for me, just misses the mark. Firstly, the clip leaves a lot to be desired. The area under the clip is small enough that it’s difficult to push it all the way to the end of the clip in jeans pockets. Also, the nubs that turn upward on each end of the retaining ring area of the clip are pronounced enough to be felt against the leg when the light is in the pocket and uncomfortable against the hand in use (cue the “you got soft hands brother” meme). I really wanted to carry it with a lanyard and matching copper bead, as shown in the pictures, but because the lanyard hole is so small I had to use a keyring which is awkward in the pocket and hand. Of course, I am absolutely amazed at the amount of light that this tiny thing can produce (whether with a Lithium Ion or with a NiMH, it’s bright). As always, Anduril 2 offers far more customization than anyone could ever need, and I like that I can set up a simple mode for my son to use (with greatly restricted brightness and NiMH batteries). The real deal killer is that, although it is quite small, it’s not small enough to be unobtrusive in carry, as I was hoping. It’s easier to carry than the D4V2, but just nowhere near a AAA form factor light. While I understand the AAA / 10440 size has a lower capacity to size ratio and there aren’t many options with customizable UIs (at least not with Anduril), I feel that it works better for me. So while I think the D3AA is a great light, my search for the perfect EDC flashlight continues. What should I try next?
I suggest the following configuration: 519a Domed 4000k, add pocket clip, add magnet in tailcap, raised switch retaining ring, RGB switch backlight or warm white, and stainless bezel.
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Pens are a mainstay of every day carry gear, and the Zebra F-701 is one of the most often recommended options. It has a lot going for it, but I just can’t recommend it. Read on to learn why.
The Zebra F-701 compared to a Bic Round Stic and Bic Clic Stic
What is the Zebra F-701 and Why is it Favored in the EDC World?
The Zebra F-701 is an all metal retractable ballpoint pen. It has some great features that lend themselves well to every day carry. It is made entirely of metal, including the refill. The stainless steel gives it a professional look and sturdy feel. The clip is designed and placed than most widely available pens, with good retention and deep carry. The body is a great width for comfortable writing, and the knurled grip area helps to keep a secure hold when in use. Finally, it writes perfectly fine for a ballpoint. All this, and it’s less than $10 per pen and available both online and in person at ubiquitous stores like Wal-Mart and Target.
Why don’t I recommend it?
While the Zebra F-701 has some great features, it has one fatal flaw. I’ve had several of these, probably 4-6, and they all start out great. Unfortunately, they all also develop the same problem. After some time of carry and use, the retraction action becomes sluggish or just fails to actually retract the tip. Once this starts, you can bet that the ink has leaked from the top of the refill, coating it and the inside of the pen body at the top. If this was something that was an aberration or easily fixed it could be overlooked, but in my experience it happens with every pen / refill and would take some serious cleaning to rectify. A pen that doesn’t retract when it should just isn’t fun or practical to use.
Have you tried the Zebra F-701? If so, did you encounter this issue? It’s certainly possible that some aspect of how I carry and use pens is causing these to leak. It’s hard for me to imagine that so many EDC enthusiasts would recommend this pen if they all leak, but my experience has been consistent.
A Solution?!
Thanks to two great subscribers, Paul D. & Andrew T., I have been made aware that the Zebra F-701 can accept Fisher Refills! While I have not tried this yet you can check out this video showing that it works, and being that the Fisher refills don’t have an opening at the top they shouldn’t cause this same issue. While I don’t love that you have to get a third party refill, I have used Fisher pens extensively and they’re a great option for EDC. It’s good to know you can use this pen body without issue with a slight work around and some increased cost. You can get them at these links: Zebra F-701 & Fisher Refills.
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Have you ever picked up your EDC knife for the day and realized it was duller than a trip to the DMV? Sometimes you don’t have time to break out the full fixed angle fancy sharpening system and sit down for a laborious labor of love to get that perfect apex. Sometimes you just want to get your knife back to doing what it’s made to do; cut stuff. Well I have some great news for you! Not only can you serviceably sharpen a knife without specialized tools, you probably have some options for achieving a perfectly usable edge just lying around.
Your Cup of Coffee
No, not the disposable cup from your local mega-chain coffee shop. Your normal every day stained from years of use ceramic coffee cup can actually be used to sharpen. Now, you’re going to be turning the cup upside down, so I suggest one without coffee in it. The bottoms of most ceramic mugs have a ring of exposed medium-ish grit ceramic. This ring can be used very similarly to a sharpening stone or rod. Simply draw your knife’s edge across the exposed ceramic grit at the appropriate angle until you reach an acceptable apex. Make sure there aren’t any oversized pieces of grit in the area you use so as to not create any edge damage, and make sure to use light pressure and a consistent angle. You’ll have a very passable edge and will be ready to pour your favorite brew!
Your Drive to Work
Now, to be clear, I am NOT suggesting you sharpen your knife WHILE driving. That said, when you get in the car to warm it up in the morning you can use the top edge of your window to sharpen. Similarly to a coffee mug, most car windows have an exposed area of fine-ish grit along the top edge. In my experience the grit on this top edge of car windows is significantly finer than that on coffee mugs. So use the same method, but it might take a few more passes and you might be able to achieve a little bit finer edge. Just make sure you do it sitting inside the car, otherwise you might look a little too nefarious; waving your knife menacingly in the window of an empty car. This can be a great way to keep a sharp edge even when traveling!
Your Essential Raiment
If you just need a quick touch up to bring your edge from sharp to razor sharp and wear a leather belt you have a strop at your constant disposal. While it might not make a truly dull knife sharp, a leather strop can be a great way to keep your edge sharp. Even a leather belt can be used as a strop, though I generally recommend using the back / inside side of the belt to avoid any scratches showing. Also, the inside of the belt is sometimes a rougher finished leather, which can be more effective as a strop. To use the strop, find the correct angle for the edge and pull the blade in an edge trailing orientation across the belt with light pressure along the whole edge until the knife is back to your preferred sharpness. If you want to get really wild with it you can even put a very small dab of toothpaste on the leather and smear it around to an even and very thin coating on the area you’ll use as a strop. The toothpaste will provide a little bit of polishing action, not to mention a pleasant aroma.
Dull knives don’t have to be a constant frustration when you’re short on time or specialized tools. With a little ingenuity, you can sharpen your knives using everyday items you already have around the house. Whether it’s a ceramic coffee mug, the top edge of your car window, or even a leather belt, these household items can be employed to achieve a usable edge on your knife. Just remember to use light pressure, a consistent angle, and be aware that these methods should be used as backups when a dedicated sharpener isn’t available. With these simple tips, you can get your knife back to its cutting best in no time.
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I have always enjoyed flashlights, but over the last year or so I have really dived in and become an enthusiast. I remember stopping at the flashlight tables at the “Sports Show” (now the Great American Outdoor Show) with my dad when I was young and being awed at the array and power of the lights. While I’ve mostly always carried a flashlight and found them to be useful, only recently have I really taken the time to learn about them and what makes a good one. I’ve spent countless hours perusing r/Flashlight on Reddit and reading Budget Light Forums so you don’t have to. Below are four features I suggest when choosing a great every day carry flashlight.
Skilhunt M150; Mini Size, Many Features
1: Practical Emitter Setup
Flashlight enthusiasts place a massive emphasis on the emitter and optics used by their lights. I don’t think the average person looking for a practical user light has to worry about the minutia of bin and dedoming and other technical details (if you don’t know what those mean, good! You really don’t need to to get a great light). However, a good emitter setup can make a flashlight much more enjoyable to use.
Emitter & Optic Setups: Single Reflector, Single TIR, Quad TIR, Mule
There are a myriad of emitters, or LEDs, that are used in EDC flashlights. While there may be better options for specific use cases, you won’t go wrong with some of the widely recommended options. Namely; Nichia 519a (overall), Nichia 219b (tint), Samsung LH351D (flood), and Luminus SFT-40 (throw). Respective to the listed key characteristic, these are some of the best and most recommended LED emitter choices available in every day carry lights. I have used them all and think they all work great, just with different strengths. While there are other emitters that might beat those listed in one area or another, I think the above are great options to look for in your carry light.
As for the optic, the portion of the flashlight that directs the light from the emitter outward, I suggest a simple single emitter reflector. Flashlight enthusiasts love “hotrods” that have multiple emitters behind compact TIR optics, and these are definitely fun, but I don’t think the added brightness is worth the added heat and battery drain. For general daily use a single emitter, one of those listed above, will provide more than sufficient light. While a TIR optic with a single emitter does send out an extremely uniform beam, I find the hot spot and spill offered by a simple reflector optic to be more useful in more situations.
2: On Board Charging
On board charging, the ability to charge the light’s battery without a separate charger, is a near must have on an EDC flashlight. At first I was actually staunchly against on board charging. Most lights with on board charging have a silicone port cover, and I didn’t trust them to be water proof. However, I have now used lights with on board charging (with or without silicone ports) and have had no issues with water damage.
On Board Charging Saves Space
The fact is it is just supremely convenient to be able to plug your flashlight in and charge it without the hassle of added equipment. This is particularly true while traveling, when you might not want to or be able to bring a full charging setup and backup batteries. Most flashlights are now using USB-C, which is a common and familiar cord that’s used for many other electronics (soon iPhones also, I’ve read).
A couple other things to look for are standard batteries and interchangeable battery options. First, Some flashlights use proprietary batteries, which cannot be replaced with standard size batteries. While a proprietary battery isn’t a deal breaker in all cases, I think it is much better when a light can take a standard size battery (14500, 18650, and 21700 are some of the most commonly used and recommended sizes for EDC) in case you lose or wear out the battery your light came with originally. Second, some lights can take normal alkaline or NiMH batteries in addition to the commonly used Lithium Ion batteries mentioned about. Specifically, some flashlights that use 14500 lithium ion batteries can take AA and some 10440 battery lights (smaller than I recommend for EDC) can take AAA. This feature can be useful if you find yourself somewhere where you can’t recharge your light but have access to the more common alkaline options, like when traveling or camping.
3: Usable Clip
A clip can make or break any tool you carry every day, and the clip on your flashlight is no different. Unfortunately, a significant number of flashlights are sold with sub par clips that make them less convenient to carry.
Two good single direction clips on the outsides, and two acceptable two way clips on the inside
One common attribute that flashlights advertise as a feature is a two way clip. When done right a two way clip allows for the flashlight to be clipped bezel downward in your pocket and also bezel forward on the bill of a hat. However, this type of clip without a ramp in the bend at the bezel end can be very difficult to clip into your pocket intuitively. I also don’t wear baseball hats often, so I don’t find a two way clip to be useful but I understand many appreciate the feature. So, just make sure there is an up turned area that will catch the lip of your pocket and direct it under the clip if you buy a light with a two way clip.
Another common downfall of flashlight pocket clips is a general flimsyness. Try to avoid lights that use overly thin snap on clips, as these can often pull off or even snap.
Generally, a good every day carry flashlight clip is a simple and straightforward design that should look relatively similar to an EDC knife clip. While overly flimsy snap on flashlight clips are to be avoided, the truth is that the vast majority of lights use snap on or pressure fit clips unlike on knives where clips are almost always screwed on.
4: Straightforward User Interface
A good EDC light has a user interface that gives you the functionality you need without overcomplication. For most real daily use, there are only a few features I find to be commonly used: direct access to the lowest brightness, direct access to the highest brightness, a smooth or stepped ramp between low and high, and mode memory (the ability to turn on at the last used brightness). Many flashlights offer a strobe, but I don’t think strobe is a must have. Even if you need to use your light in a defensive situation I think direct access to the highest brightness would probably serve just as well as a dedicated strobe mode.
An enthusiast focused hot rod with Anduril 2 can be fun and make for a cool EDC pairing, but it definitely goes beyond pure function
Now, that’s not to say that the fancier user interfaces, namely Anduril (now on version 2), aren’t fun and interesting. I really enjoy the customizability of my Anduril lights, and you can certainly customize them to be simple as described above. That said, I think most people who buy a flashlight for EDC don’t want to have to program their light and wouldn’t gain much value from the added features.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Just like knives, flashlights can be a purely practical tool or an expression of one’s style. In this article I’ve endeavored to provide my recommendations for an every day carry light that leans toward the former, while still scratching that itch that we EDC enthusiasts have for coolness in our tools. My hope is that this article helps you to find the best light for you.
Wurkkos FC11; Budget Workhorse
That said, if you want a simple and direct recommendation, I would suggest the Wurkkos FC11 (Amazon Affiliate link). It is a great mix of all of the features I mentioned above in a budget friendly package from a well known brand. Whichever light you go with, don’t forget to go out and do good!
I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts
